Expanding clamping means



March 8, 1932.

F. .1.l JARvns EXPANDING CLAMP-ING MEANS Filed July 11, Yw30 nuuldllllmml Patented Man 8,` 17932.

v ;I1\TC.,0 riemrn-ngmfrsssennsnrrs, A .c eRPoRAmroNfoF MAesAoHUsEmrs '10 provide improvedexpanding means adapted ytof-fitvarious sizesand shapesfof attaching sockets OrlizrturesV f n i -1 l Another-object yof thefinvention fis -to pro-4 vide simple and inexpensive connectinglor 'tu-resa p v Another object ofthe "invention 'isto pro` able clamping means adapted *topermit a kcaster stem or like object'to be rvfittedto at-l taching vsockets "or'iixtures of'diiferent sizes y and characteristics.y c f f Another object of` the invent-ionJisto `provide ,improvedV means for vattaching andjde tachingr the clamping means.` Another object ofltheinvention isfto providean improved v caster'thatmay be easily 'an d quickly attached or. deta'che dl trom iat# taching .means of .different sizes and 'char'acteristics providedA on the .articles to whichthe caster'is to be attached. I i y Other objects and advantages of tlre'inven-v tionvvill become.apparentl from the following description 4taken c inconn'ection with the yaccornpanying drawings., It vis apparentthat many changes 'in the 'details 'of 'construction and arrangement ofiparts may, be made' with@ out departingirom the spirit'of the inven. tion expressed in tHefollovving claims." The preferred forms onlviwhave been described and illii'stratedby Wavof explanation.; Vhence 1 do not Wish to be limitedto vthe exactdetails shWl ,and described@ 45: It `is Well 'known that thegattaching sock# ets and'fixtures for casters'andfsimilary devices vary in size and sha-pe and in other characteristics'. Itisjktherefore, one ofthe main objects of thisinvent'ionio Aprovide ex- 'pansible means "easily and positively 'operf' yvide simple, inexpensive and p0 s'itively'op'ver- 1930. semi r`1ro. nemer;

y I fviamiviz a. .I Lrlrfvrs.Y or' remitan; ,irnssiicrmsnrrs lAssi'reixro'It TofJARvrsAND chavas,

and institutions 'that demented and 'eccen# tric patients {oft'en 'C'leta'clfi Vcasters and' hurl them -throngh' Windows or otherwiseusethem asY jWeapons fof attack. It is, therefore, another object "-of the invention toY provide securingfme'an's of `a naturenot obviously and easily detached Without speciall Va}: 'pli'ances adapted to ftheapurpo'se. i

"Another prime ob'- "i jectis'to-providel 1such rex'pansible means that I ere Simple in construction and operationfand inexpensiveotproduction. It *will readily` he seen vthfat thfeadaptahilityto various sizes and rshapes oif'ettaching means is" a 'prime consideration-in' the manufacture and disstandp'oint of economy andr convenience.v f

Referring to the drawings inwhich 'sim ilar reference characters refer to similar y" partsfithroughout:

- Fig; Fis ap'erspectivevievv of" a lcaster embodyingthe invention with some of' the parts separated and' removed; f

Fig'. 'Hi' is 'aA longitiidinal cross section showingthe caster stern inserted in the attacliingrsocket; y "i Fig TIIis" a cross sectionv on line '111;111 @fri-gir; f

Fig; IV .is .a cross .section 'on line. IVIV of Fig..'H'lookinglinthe :direction of the arrowg'and'f A 1F ig. KVfi'sfa.partial fview in amiss-sectionV showing' a different 'forni vof'lock nut beneath the bearing. f f Y' The 'numeral i l'indicates the .socket or atf taching connection whichy is s ecu'redk to 'the arti ole to which the caster or similar `device is to be attached; 'as shown this is a2 v tube shape'. c

The caster r'Wheel' 2 'isv rotatablyV mounted on @and beround in; cross-section or ofother the 'axle pin 3" in the'us'ual manner'in r the casterbra'cket or fork i vwhich is secured ati:I 5 to the shell 6 Aof the bea-ring 7, the partsbe` j' 'ingjprefe'rably compressedf together.` VThe hearing 7 comprises an upper bearingiblock y 8 landa lower bearing blocka9 each having'a bearing frace :or: groove for the ,balls l0V and y ani' inner: bearing' lloloclr 11 havlng a correy position to the parts of the caster.

sponding ball race or groove for the balls 10. The arts of the bearing are held in related position by the shell 6 which is compressed over them.

f Passing through a bushing 12 in the inner bearing block 11 is the caster stem 13 having the rshouldered head 14 and a threaded upper ortion 15. The shoulder of the head 14 ears on the under side of the inner bearing block 11 toposition the stem 13 in relted urrounding the stem 13 and resting on the upper end of the inner bearing block 11 is the washer 16 which abuts the lowei` end of the attachin socket 1. Above' the washer 1G and slidab e on the stem 13 is the expansible spider plate 17 having a body portion 18 resting on the washer 16 and ya plurality of outwardly and upwardly extending leg members `19 terminating in contacting facets 20 adapted to bear on ythe inner surface of the attaching tube 1. Above the spider plate 17 and also slidable on the stem 13 is a second expansible spider plate 21 having the body portion 22 and aplurality of outwardly and downwardly extending leg members 423 terminating in contacting facets 24 adapted to bear on the inner surface 'of the attaching tube 1. The legs of the lower spider plate 17 and of the upper spider plate 21 are alternately spaced so that the contacting facets 20 and 24 are nested within each other so that both may contact with the inner surface of the tube 1 as shown inFig. I. Slidable on the stem 13 and 35k lying within the interlocked spider plates 17 and 21is the washer plate 25 acting as a spacer and compression member, as hereinafter described.

Surrounding the stem 13 and above the upper spider plate 21 is the lspacertube 26, the lowerend of which rests on the section 22 of the upper spider plate 21. Above the tube 26 and resting thereon is another spider plate member 27 similar in construction to the spider plate member 17 and above this another spider plate member 28 similar in construction to the spider plate 21. A spacer and compression member 29 similar to the member 25 is contained within the spider members 27 and 28. Above the spider 28 is the threaded nut 30 to which the spider plate 28 is attachedat 31by compressing the member 28 into a groove therein or by other means. If desired the nut 30 may be separate from the plate 2S -simply resting thereon. The legs and contacting facets of the spider plates 27 and 28 arey alternately arranged as in the case of spider plates 17 and 21 and their operation and construction is otherwise the same. .l

kIn the shouldered head 14 of the stem 13 may be made a polygonal socket recess 34, see Fig. III, adapted to fit the polygonalshaped wrench arm 32 or if desired a nut 33, Fig. V, may be employedinstead. l If the nut is used an ordinaryv Wrench mav be utilized for its operation.

The method of operation is as follows: To insert the stem 13 and its fittings into the tube 1, turn the stem 13 with the wrench 32 until the parts are loosened on the stem. This action turns the threaded stem in the nut 30, allowing the extending legs of the spiders to contract inwardly towards the stem,thesaidspiders being made of resilient or springy' material. Then insert the stem 13 4With its fittings into the tube 1 until the washer 1G engages the lower end of the tube. `Then turn the wrench in the opposite direction. This drives the stern 13 through the nut 30 shortening the distance between the nut 30 and washer 16. This action forces the resilient legs of the spider members outwardly until the engaging facets engage the inner surface of the' tube 1 to such an extent that the stem 13 is held securely in the tube 1. The Washers 25 vand 29 act asspacer plates and compression members assisting the actionV and direction of movement of the spider legs under the action of turning the stem 13 in the nut 30. To withdraw the stem 13 from the tube 1 the action is the reverse. If the device is designed for use with a socket wrench the partsmay not be easily removed by the fingers or an ordinary wrench, a desirable consideration where the devices are to be used in places accessible to demented persons or desperater prisoners, etc. It is apparent too that this device may be used for sockets either circular or other shape in cross-section and of different sizes. It is also apparent ythat the' expanding features are of the very simplestconstruction and exceedingly economical to produce. f y

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided simple, vetiicient and exceedingly economical means for carrying out all of the objects of the invention and of obtaining the advantages thereof. y

Havingvdescribed myvinvention, I claim: i1. In a device of the character described in combination with an rattaching stem, an expansion plate on the stem having outwardly inclined expansion arms, a second expansion plate on the stem having outwardly inclined expansion arms, said arms of the two expansion plates being alternately spaced to nest one within the other, and operable means which will-change the distance between the said expansion plates to extend or retract the said arms as the case may be.

2. In adevice of the character described in combination with an attaching stem, an expansion plate on the stem having outwardly inclined expansion arms, a secondexpansion plate on the stem having outwardly yinclined expansion arms, said arms of the two expansion plates being alternately spaced to nest one within the other, a compression plate between said expansion plates contacting with the. arms thereof andoperable means which y willchange the distance between the expanof expansion members on said'stem separated by a spacer member, each v`of said expansion members comprisingv an expansion plate on the stem yhaving .outwardly inclined expansion arms andy asecond'expansion platehaving outwardly inclined expansion armsextending towards the arms of the first expansionplate, separate compression means engaging the two setsof arms, and operative means which will change the distance between the expansion lplates of each pair of expansion members to extend or retractk the expan- 'sion arms thereof as the case ymay be.

4. In a device of the-character described in combination with an attaching stem, a pair of expansion members on saidfstem 'separated by a spacer membeneach ofA said expansion members comprising an expansion plate on the stemhaving outwardly inclined expan- V sion arms and a second expansion plate having outwardly inclined expansion arms extending towards the arms of the rst expansion platesaid expansion arms of the two vexpansion plates being alternately spaced to nest within each other, and each of said expansion membershaving a compression plate interengaging'the expansion armsv of both of its expansin plates and operative means which will lchange the distance between-the `expansion plates of bothy expansion,y members to extend or retract the expansion'arms on the `respective compression plates as the case may-be.

5. In a device of the character described, a caster fork, a caster wheelretatably mount ed in the fork, `a caster stem yrotatably sup-v ported by the forl, an expansion plate on the stem having outwardly inclined extending expansion arms,-a second expansiony plateon the stem having' outwardly inclined expansion arms extending towards the arms of the first expansion plate, separate compression means engaging the two sets of arms andV` operable'means that will change the distance between the yexpansion plates to extend orv retract theexpansion arms as the case may be. 6. In a device ofthe character described,

a caster lfork, a caster wheel rotatably mounted in the fork, caster st/em'rotatably sup- 1 ported by the orlr, an expansion plate on the y change the distance between the said expan- Vstem having outwardly inclined expansion g arms, a second expansion plate on the stem having 'outwardly Vinclined expansion arms f sion plates to extend or retract the expansiony ,i

spaced to nest one within the other, a come.

pression plate between the expansion plates contacting with the arms thereof and operable means which will change the distance between the expansionsplates to extend or re-v tract the expansion armsonthe compression plate as the case may be. f

8. In a device of the character describeda caster fork, a caster wheel rotatably mounted in the forli, a caster stem rotatably supported by the fork, a pair of expansion members on v said stem separated by aspacer member, each of said expansion members comprising an expansion plate on the stem having outwardly inclined 4expansion arms and a second expansion plate ,having outwardly inclined expansion arms extending towards the arms `oi' the firstV expansionplate, separate compression means engaging the two sets of arms and operative means vwhich will change the distance between the expansion plates of each pair of expansion members to extend or retract the expansion-arms thereof as the case maybe. Y

9,.,- In a device of the ,character described, a caster forl, a caster wheel rotatably mounted in the fork, a caster stem rotatably supthe arms of the first expansion plate, said expansi'on armsy of the two expansion plates beingalternately spacedtonest within each othery and each of said expansion members having a compression `plate interengaging the expansion arms of both of its expansion plates and operative means which will change the distance betweenL the expansion plates of both expansion memberstofextendror retract the expansion armson the respective com-V pression plates as the case may be.

FRANK a Janvis.

extending towards the arms ofthe first ex!k pansion plate, the arms of the two expansion platesl beingalternately arranged and nested one in the other and operablemeans that vwill 

